Distilling, rectifying, fractionating. or washing column



Feb. 14, 1939." C. .J. HECKMANN 2,147,094

' DISTILLING, RECTIFYING, FRACTIONATING, OR WASHING COLUMN Filed Aug.17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 nnnnmimuni five/vim: GI HECKMANN Feb. 14,1939. 1HECKMANN 2,147,094

DISTILLING, RECTIFYING, FRACTIONATING, OR WASHING COLUMN Filed Aug 17,1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 1 a. I -J z 'g. 2., 5 i

IH lil l I '1 17 17 i 7 17 IL, l l

C.T.HECKM/\NN Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEmsrnimo, anc'rrr'rmo, mononu- ING, on WASHING COLUMN Carl JustusHeckmann, Bresiau, Germany, as-

signor to Maschinenfabrik Heckmann G. m.

9 Claims. (CL 261-414 The invention relates to a distilling, rectifying,fractionating or washing column wherein the reflux takes place frombottom to bottom and the bottoms of both halves of the colum are 5relatively displaced by half the total bottom spacing and residestherein that the distillating and so forth tunnels themselves servedirectly for guiding the reflux from one bottom to the next succeedingone.

10 By the displacement of the bottoms of both halves of the columnrelatively to one another there is effected in the known manner aneconomy in height and by the fact that the rectifying tunnels arethemselves directly passages for the reflux, all separate return pipesare unnecessary and the reflux is effected in a favourable manner in awide stream from one bottom to another and in thisway is traversed overa wide surface by the rising vapours For 0 the rest rectifying columnsof this construction are inexpensive and eiiiclent especially as thebottoms themselves are all constructed similarly and are thereforecapable of being erected and exchanged easily Also inconvenient packingsbetween the separate bottoms are omitted and the column always has asuflicient reflux reserve.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown a form of construction ofthe column and of 30 the bottoms serving for the erection of column.

Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal section of the columns along the lineII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan of one of the column hot- ;5 toms. I

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2 looking from the left.

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 2 looking from the right.

[0 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a number or bottoms, parts of onebottom being broken away.

' The column consists of the usual, preferably cylindrical casing I, inwhich the steam pipe 2 L5 enters at the bottom and from the bottom ofwhich there extends the pipe 3 for the reflux. The vapour rising in thecolumn passes through the pipe 4 into a condenser 5 and from here passesthrough the pipe 6 partly back into the column and partly through thepipe 'i as flnished product to the cooler. The reflux returning into thecolumn throughthe pipe 6 flows downwardly in the usual manner frombottom to bottom into the lower part of the column.

The column, according .to the. invention, is

filled with bottoms which are all completely alike and which beartightly .upon one another and fit, as regards thein outside shape, theshape of the column. Each of these bottoms, in

so far as the column is of circular cross-section, 6 consists of asemi-circular flat and horizontally located part I, which may beprovided with a packing and strengthening rim. At the rim of the bottom8 opening towards the middle of the column there is provided a catch orcollecting 10 gutter 9 andto this'gutter are connected the rectifying orthe-like tunnels I0, II, I2, I3, I4 (Fig. 3), of which a larger orsmaller number may be provided: as desired. The surfaces of thesetunnels, as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, are in turnshaped in the form of agutter so that the covers of the separate tunnels form reflux guttersIfla, Ha, I211, I311, Ila.

These gutters IIIa to Ila are directly con-- nected to the collectinggutter 9 so that the liquid which collects in the gutter 9 isdistributed by this into the gutters Illa to Ida. As the surfaces of thetunnels, as shown in Fig. 1, are inclined, the liquid descending inthe'direction of the arrow A on to these gutters flows downwardly in thedirection of the arrow B and reaches the semi-circular and flat part ofthe bottom to next below. On this bottom the liquid rises between thetunnels I0 to It and, by reason of the presence of theopenings I5, alsoin the interior of these tunnels until the liquid reaches the upper edgeof a weir wall I6 extending over the entire diameter of the column.Outside the tunnel I2 the liquid then passes over the partition, alsoextending between the separate tunnels, and passes into the collectinggutter 90o! the bottom 8a and runs over the gutter shaped tunnel topsdownwardly in thedirection 01' the arrow C, reaches the bottom 8b,runs-between the separate tunnels 4 over the weir wall I641; passes intothe gutter 9b of the bottom 8b andso 0114; The broken arrow D above thebottom 8a indicates that the over-' flow takes place behind the plane ofthe draw ing, whilst the full line arrow E above the bottom lb indicatesthat the overflow takes place in the plane of the drawings.

The risingvapour passes in the direction of the arrow F through theintermediate space between the upper edge of the weir wall I Go and thelower edge of the gutter 9c behind the plane of the drawing of Fig. 1,into the tunnels oi. the bottom 80, and fills the tunnels to such anextent that the reflux liquid, which tends to pass through the openingsII into the interior of the tunnels cannot rise above the'level of theupper edge of these openings. Through the points I50 the vapour passesout on both sides of the tunnels Ill to I4 and passes in the directionof the arrows G and H into the interior of the tunnels of the bottom 8b,from here passes through the openings I517 into the intermediate spacesbetween the tunnels and then passes in the same manner into the tunnelsof the bottom 8a and from here into the tunnels of the bottom 8,whereupon it escapes from these tunnels l5 and passes into the pipe 4.

Into the gutter 9.there project between the adjacent wall surfaces ofthe tunnels sheet metal members I! which between the intermediate spacesbetween the tunnels of one bottom and the gutter of the next succeedingbottom form a liquid seal.

The height of the weir plate H (Fig.1) corresponds with the level of thereflux and this must be greater than the height of liquid h above theupper edge of the openings IS in the tunnel walls. In so far as theoutflow plane from the collecting gutter of the next lower bottom doesnot lie above or substantially above the level of the tunnels of thenext higher bottom, this condition is obtained solely in that the weirwall It; is made higher than the upper edge of the vapour passageopenings in the tunnel walls.

The advantages of a column according to the invention are extremelynumerous. The inserted members consist of separate elements which areall entirely similar and are capable of being constructed easily fromany suitable material, especially from pressed materials such asartificial resin, glass or the like. A carrying over of liquid particlesfrom one bottom to the next may be almost completely prevented as novapour tubular members are necessary through which liquid drops arecarried along in normal columns. The liquid is most efficientlydistributed over each bottom so that a uniform operation is possibleover the whole surface of the bottom, dead points areeliminated as alsoseparate liquid guides. The space otherwise taken up by reflux pipes isinthis manner rendered useful for the actual rectification. The refluxis conducted through the the tunnels and here continuously heated by thevapour in the tunnels, so that also in this case there occur thermaleconomical advantages. The reflux flows between the tunnels on thecountercurrent flow through the vapours whereby increased vapourandliquid mixing and favourable bottom efliciency are obtainable. Finally alarge reserve can be provided for the reflux in a construction accordingto-the invention so that the column is capable of meeting a highoverload as very large quantities of reflux can be conducted, withoutaccumulations, through the column according to the invention,

Instead of the rectangular vapour outlet openings l5 shown in thedrawings it is also possible to use otherwise shaped openings in theknown manner, for example triangular notches, which if desired may alsobe so arranged at the lower edge of the tunnels that the lower edge ofthe tunnels has a notched shape.

' What I claim is:

1. In a column of the character specified, the combination comprising acasing, a plurality of bottoms mounted in said casing, a plurality oftunnels located over half the area of each bottom, said bottoms beingmounted in spaced relation in said casing and being relatively displacedby a distance equal to half the distance between adjacent'bottoms,said-tunnels serving to guide the material under treatment from onebottom to the next, a plurality of gutters extending along a of the weirwalls being located a distance above the overflow plane of thecorresponding diametral gutter which is greater than the distancebetween the upper edge of the weir wall and the upper edge of saidapertures.

2. In a column of the character specified, the combination comprising acasing, a plurality of bottoms mounted in said casing, a plurality oftunnels located, over half the area of each bottom, said bottoms beingmounted in spaced relation in said casing and being relatively displacedby a distance equal to half the distance between adjacent bottoms, saidtunnels serving to guide the material under treatment from one bottom tothe next, a plurality of gutters extending along a diameter of saidcasing, said gutters being associated one with each bottom and being alllocated in the same vertical plane, a plurality of gutters located oneon each tunnel, the gutters on the tunnels extending downwardly from thecorresponding diametral gutters towards the periphery of said casing, aplurality of weir walls located one on each bottom, said weir wallsextending parallel to said diametral gutters through said tunnels, eachof said tunnels having a plurality of holes in the side walls thereof,the upper edges of the weir walls being located a distance above theoverflow plane of the corresponding diametral gutter which is greaterthan the distance between the upper edge of the weir wall and the upperedge of said apertures, and a plurality of closure walls extending alongthe central plane of said diametral gutters, said closure walls dippinginto the diametral gutter of the bottom next below, said closure wallsserving to close the spaces between adjacent tunnels.

3. Abottom for a column of the character.

described, comprising a circular element, a diametral gutter in saidbottom dividing it into two semi-circular portions, a plurality ofparallel tunnels arranged parallel to one another on one circularportion, a plurality of gutters located one at the top 01' each tunnel,the gutters at the tops of the tunnels communicating at one end with thediametral gutter and being inclined downwardly from said diametralgutter, said tunnels having apertures in the side walls thereof.

4. A bottom for a column of the character described, comprising acircular element, a diametral gutter in said bottom dividing it into twosemi-circular portions, a plurality of parallel tunnels arrangedparallel to one another 'on one circular portion, a plurality of gutterslocated one at the top of each tunnel, the gutters at the tops of thetunnels communicating at one end with the diametral gutter and beinginclined downwardly from said diametral gutter, said tunnels havingapertures in the side walls thereof, a weir wall extending parallel tothe diametral gutter on the side of the bottom provided with thetunnels, the upper edge or said weir wall being located at a higherlevel. than the upper edge of the apertures in said tunnels.

5. A bottom for a column of the character described, comprising acircular element, a diametral gutter in said bottom dividing it into,tw0semi-circular portions, a plurality of parallel tunnels arrangedparallel to one another on one circular portion, a plurality of gutterslocated one at the top of each tunnel, the gutters at the tops of thetunnels communicating at one end with the diametral gutter and beinginclined downwardly from said diametral gutter, said tunnels havingapertures in the side walls thereof, a weir wall extending parallel tothe diametral gutter on the side of the bottom provided with thetunnels, the upper edge of said weir wall being located at a higherlevel than the upper edge of the apertures in said tunnels, and aclosure wall extending parallel to said diametral gutter and closing thespace between the separate tunnels, said closure wall extendingdownwardly beyond the lower surfaces of the tunnels.

6. A bottom for a column of the character described, comprising acircular element, a diametral gutter in said bottom dividing it into twosemi-circular portions, a plurality of parallel tunnels arrangedparallel to one another on one circular portion, a plurality of gutterslocated one at the top of each tunnel, the gutters at the tops of thetunnels communicating at one end with the diametral gutter and beinginclined downwardly from said diameral gutter, said tunnels havingapertures in the side walls thereof, a weir wall extending parallel tothe diametral gutter on the side of the bottom provided with thetunnels, the upper edge of said weir wall being located at a higherlevel than the upper edge of the apertures in said tunnels, and aclosure wall extending parallel to-"said diametral gutter and closingthe space between the separate tunnels, said closure wallextendingdownwardly beyond the lower surfaces of the tunnels, all ofsaid parts being formed as a complete unit from pressed or castmaterials such as artificial resins, glass, extrusion castings or thelike.

7. In a column of the character specified, the combination comprising acylindrical casing, a plurality of circular bottoms mounted in saidcasing, a plurality of tunnels located on each of said bottoms, saidtunnels extending parallel to one another from a line extendingdiametrically across the bottom to the periphery of the latter andcovering half the area of each bottom, said bottoms being mounted inspaced relation one above the other in said casing and being relativelydisplaced by a distance equal to half the distance between adjacentbottoms,

whereby a portion of a bottomon which tunnels are located is under aportion free from tunnels of the bottom next above, said tunnels servingto guide the material under treatment from one bottom to the next.

8. In a column of the character specified, the combination comprising acylindrical casing, a plurality of circular bottoms mounted in saidcasing, a plurality of tunnels located on each of said bottoms, saidtunnels extending parallel to one another from a line extendingdiametrically across the bottom to the periphery of the latter andcovering half the area of each bottom, said bottoms being mounted inspaced relation one above the other in said casing and being relativelydisplaced by a distance equal to half the distance between adjacentbottoms, whereby a portion of a bottom on which tunnels are located isunder a portion free from tunnels of the bottom next above, said tunnelsserving to guide the material under treatment from one bottom to thenext, and a plurality of gutters, one gutter extending diametricallyacross each bottom, whilst the remaining gutters are located one at thetop of each tunnel, said last mentioned gutters extending from therespective diametricalgutters and being inclined downwardly from thediametrical gutter towards the periphcry of said bottom.

9. In a column of the character specified, the combination comprising acylindrical casing, a plurality of circular bottoms mounted in saidcasing, a plurality of tunnels located on each of said bottoms, saidtunnels extending parallel to one another from a line extendingdiametrically across the bottom to the periphery of the latter andcovering half the area of each bottom, said bottoms being mounted inspaced relation one above the other in said casing and being relativelydisplaced by a distance equal to half the distance between adjacentbottoms, whereby a portion of a bottom on which tunnels are located isunder a portion free from tunnels of the bottom next above, said tunnelsserving to guide the material under treatment from one bottom to thenext, each of said tunnels having a plurality of apertures in the sidewalls thereof,-and

, a plurality of gutters, one gutter extending diametrically across eachbottom, said' diametrical gutters being all located in the same verticalplane, whilst the remaining gutters are located one at the top of eachtunnel, said last mentioned gutters extending from the respectivediametrical gutters and being inclined downwardly from the diametricalgutter towards the periphery of said bottom. I

CARL JUSTUS HECKMANN.

